If it comes down to our own strength, we’re incapable of keeping ourselves in right relationship with God. Even once you’ve accepted salvation in Christ, you’ll find yourself stumbling into sin all too often. As Pastor Richard will remind you today, the only way your salvation can be maintained is through Jesus. You simply abide in Him, trusting that His work on the cross was enough to secure you and keep you till He calls you home.

The Bible is God’s Word to mankind. He can communicate with us in a few ways: His Spirit can speak directly to us, usually, His voice is softer than a whisper. Or He may speak to us through other believers. But the most common way God reveals His character and will to us is through the Bible. As Pastor Richard will remind us today, this book needs to be front and center in our lives as we seek to know God and become more like Jesus.

We love to overcomplicate things. We add all kinds of conditions and expectations to salvation. Whether it’s our own salvation or that of other people, if we’re not living up to a certain standard – dressing and acting a certain way for example – we question the authenticity of it. Our behavior should demonstrate our salvation, but ultimately, as Pastor Richard will remind us, what really matters is that our hearts have fully trusted in Christ.

Paul lived out his faith in a humble way, imitating the same attitude He saw in Jesus. All too often, modern pastors and evangelists come with a long list of expectations, spoken or unspoken, as to how they should be treated. Their ministry is more centered around them than the one they serve. Today, Pastor Richard will point out that God invites all of us into this humble approach to our relationships and ministry roles.

You’re called by God to be a good steward with what you have, and part of that means to be generous with the good things God has placed in your life. Today, Pastor Richard is going to remind you that God’s bank account doesn’t run dry. He’s capable of doing way more than we could ask or imagine, and He’s ready to bless you abundantly, too, if you’re faithful to give Him glory and to steward well what He’s so graciously poured out on your life.

Paul spread a message of unity everywhere he went. A lot of great things for the ministry were a result of God moving in people’s hearts so that they gave, to support spreading love to those in need. Today, Pastor Richard’s going to be with you in Acts to show you examples of what an impact a group of believers can have on the world around them when they trust God completely with what’s been given to them.

How do we withstand the snares and attacks of the enemy? Today, Pastor Richard will teach listeners that the Gospel is not a one-time message for Salvation, but a repeated Word for believers to lean on in all phases of life. Have you sensed the enemy trying to steal your joy, shame you, or lure you with worldly desires? Remember the Truth of the Gospel, and allow the Holy Spirit to encourage and equip you against such attacks! 

The power of the early church was all from the Holy Spirit and the Good News of the Gospel. In today’s teaching, Pastor Richard will show listeners that the apostles didn’t enter cities with long, prepared, man-made speeches in an effort to convert unbelievers. They simply took the message of the Gospel, and its power changed lives! You can share the Good News of Jesus boldly with others because its message is powerful and life-changing!

Have you been missing out on the fullness that comes with following Christ? Today, Pastor Richard will encourage listeners to remember what God has done and repent if needed to turn back to Him. The distractions of life can often drown out our “first love” of Jesus. It is important to preach the Gospel to ourselves daily to never waiver in our love towards Him! How can you better remember the Lord’s work in your life today?  

How can we know that we are living in the perfect will of God for our lives? In today’s teaching, Pastor Richard will encourage listeners to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, so that every step is in accordance with God’s plans. A life that is led by the Spirit of God is foolproof! If you have chosen to surrender your life to the Lord, humbly ask for the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you through every one of life’s moments and decisions.

What is God’s calling on your life? God has given us the power to be His witnesses. Be a part of advancing God’s kingdom, no matter where you are. In today’s message, Pastor Richard challenges us to be advancing the kingdom of God. We don’t have to do it alone. From the heritage of the early church throughout the generations, we are to be about sharing the gospel. We have a world of believers everywhere to help us.

When we witness how a person’s life is turned around through belief in Jesus, we know it is a true miracle. Do you know someone who has actually spoken against belief in God, and literally did things to obstruct the work of the church? In his message today, Pastor Richard explains how God worked in the apostle Paul’s life to change him from a persecutor of believers to one of the greatest ambassadors for Christ to have ever lived.

Are there times when you don’t feel like you are of any use in God’s work? It’s easy to assume we are not accomplishing anything for God when we are not seeing Him move through our work. Even the apostle Paul had times when he felt like he was not doing anything for the Kingdom. Today, Pastor Richard describes how Paul continued to do the tasks that were within his reach, and we also must keep doing what we know to do.

Do you ever find yourself frozen in your spiritual growth because you are waiting on answers or waiting for God to do something? In today’s message, Pastor Richard teaches us to go as far as we can, do our best, and then commit the rest to God. He encourages us to keep moving forward and to be willing to trust God to bring our work to fruition. You may not always see immediate results, but our responsibility is to remain faithful.

Our Father in Heaven is incredibly patient. Our sin breaks His heart and separates us from Him, but it’s the sin He hates - not us. He loves us dearly and works long before we come to Him to reveal that love and draw us in. As Pastor Richard will remind us in today’s message, when you accept Jesus as your Savior, you become a Child of God and He patiently works on your heart. It rarely happens overnight, but He is transforming you as you seek His heart.

You don’t need to be afraid of the spiritual realm all around you if you’ve trusted Jesus as your Savior. He’s with you and protects you, but there is a full-on battle happening for your soul as well as every soul around you. As Pastor Richard continues our study of the book of Acts in today’s message, he’ll challenge us to open our ears and eyes for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we encounter daily opportunities to share Jesus with this world.

That really is the polar opposite of what culture is teaching, isn’t it? Our culture says you need to put yourself first. How you feel and what you want is more important than anything else in your world. This self-worship comes naturally. But, as Pastor Richard will challenge us in today’s message, God calls us to a life that puts Him and others above ourselves. When you devote yourself to that selfless life, you’ll find deep meaning and purpose.

All of us are called to serve the Lord in different ways. God created us to be unique and our gifts and roles will be just as unique. You’ll have some who have much more visible gifts and teach or lead well, whereas you’ll have others who serve vital roles behind the scenes, with little to no recognition. As Pastor Richard will point out today, those who serve in quiet humility may not be recognized in this life, but God sees them and will reward them greatly. 

It’s easy to sing worship songs when things are going well. You’ve resisted sin and everything’s been falling into place. The music will naturally flow from your heart in those moments. But, as Pastor Richard will challenge us in today’s message, can you worship God in the dark moments? Worship doesn’t come naturally in a dungeon, but it brings your heart into a place of faith and gratitude that can sustain you through that dark time.

The future can be daunting, even without certainty over what’s to come. That unknown aspect can be the hardest part. For many of us, if there were a way to look ahead and get a glimpse of what’s to come, we’d take it. But, as Pastor Richard will explain in today’s message, this isn’t something God will typically reveal. He’s given us promises of the hope we have in Him, but the journey there is a mystery, and we’ll need to trust Him through it.

There will be believers in Heaven who weren’t baptized. It isn’t essential to receive salvation - Jesus has done everything necessary to save us, and all you need to do is trust in Him. But, as Pastor Richard will encourage us in today’s message, sacraments like baptism and communion are important symbols that all Christians should practice as a public and personal demonstration of what Christ has done in their hearts.

Our relationships with each other are an essential part of the Christian journey. Far too many believers take on a cowboy-type mindset where they just want to take on the vast wilderness on their own. You may do fine for a while, but God designed us to need relationships. As Pastor Richard will encourage us in today’s message, it’ll require stepping out of your comfort zone, but it’s important to find ways to get involved in your church.

God can restore, what the locust has eaten! In today’s message, Pastor Richard reminds us that we serve an awesome God; who can put us back on track, and restore what was once counted as lost in our lives. He’s called us to be peacemakers and ministers of reconciliation. If there weren’t going to be stumbling blocks on our paths, He wouldn’t need these to make right; what went wrong, right? He sent His Holy Spirit, who is the comforter for the uncomfortable.

We’ve all had disagreements, right? Maybe you’ve even had some strong disagreements with close family, or your church family. In today’s message, Pastor Richard shines a light on how Paul dealt with conflict in his ministry. Sometimes people mess up, and sometimes they just need a second chance; to fulfil what God has called them to. God doesn’t choose perfect people to accomplish His work; if He did He’d never get anything done.